Rohart and Ponsot claim race one

Following the Semaine Olympique, so the Stars have continued in Hyeres for their World Championship...

The championship got off to a difficult start with postponements ashore and then on the water. Then there were two general recalls, and at the third start, three individual recalls...

When racing did get underway conditions were tricky, light and shifty. France's past Star World Champion Xavier Rohart and Pierre-Alexis Ponsot, who managed to take the lead just before the upwind mark, and then held first place for the rest of the race. Behind them, Freddie Loof and Peter O'Leary were fighting for second place, with finally the Swede gaining the upper hand. Britain's Iain Percy and Andrew Simpson came home sixth, ahead of Robert Schiedt and Bruno Prada.

"It was difficult today, especially for the race comittee," said Xavier Rohart. "They managed to remain calm, and that's great for us. We kept focused on our original strategy to stay in the middle of the fleet, and to follow the wind. We had a good speed, and that helped a lot to be the first boat upwind."